The Trump administration said on Friday that it is banning TikTok and WeChat from US app stores, a measure that will go into effect at midnight on Sunday. The Chinese-owned apps are being removed from Apple and Google app stores under the guise of national security, the accusation being the Chinese government has access to user data.
The ban will prevent new users from downloading the apps and will prohibit current users from updating them and fixing bugs.
Also effective at midnight on Sunday is a ban that will prohibit US companies from processing financial transactions on WeChat, an app used worldwide by billions of users. WeChat is both a social media app and a way to make electronic payments and is a vital part of life in China. Chinese Americans rely on the app to send money to China and keep in touch with relatives.
Other strict measures against WeChat prohibit US companies from offering the app internet hosting and other network services. Experts say the measures will effectively shut down WeChat in the US.
The Trump administration is leaving TikTok a little more wiggle room while its Chinese parent company ByteDance is working out a deal to sell the video-sharing app to a US company. If a deal is not reached, stricter financial restrictions for TikTok will go into effect on November 12th.
The tech company Oracle is currently working out a deal to partner with ByteDance to prevent an outright ban of TikTok. Reports say a proposal was submitted to the Treasury Department this week that would keep ByteDance as the majority shareholder and transfer headquarters and data hosting to Oracle in the US.
Having TikTok user data stored by a Chinese-owned company is the issue the Trump administration says it has with the app. The US says that since ByteDance is a Chinese company, it is obligated to share user data with the Chinese government, a charge TikTok denies. The CIA recently said it has not seen evidence of the Chinese government accessing TikTok’s user data.
Reports indicate that the Trump administration will not approve a plan that keeps ByteDance as the majority shareholder. The ban is more likely a broader part of the Trump administration’s anti-China policies, which have taken many forms, and less about user data.
All of the things TikTok is accused of, US tech companies are guilty of with respect to the US government. In 2013, leaks from former NSA contractor Edward Snowden revealed that a program known as PRISM gives the NSA and FBI backdoor access to user data from Facebook, Google, Apple, Microsoft, and other US tech platforms.
Chump in Chief.
“Chump in Chief.”
Not to mention “Dictator in Chief” (DIC[K]).
This will cost him lots of young votes…!
the BLM antifa campaigns for trump assures him a 2nd term; if he was clever he would ban facebook
Trump is going to be sure China will not be able to use the same underhanded practices the U.S. intelligence agencies including the FBI used against him This is why it is good to have a president with a little experience .
Well, well. The deal as it stands now includes Oracle as database repository of US users, and as a guarantor of security — by keeping the code. Parent Chinese company ByteDance will keep on upgrading TikTok, and Oracle will check it out before installing. Walmart will be the market arm.
As it stands — ByteDance keeps 70% shares.
Trump clearly has something less in mind. The fact that state is involved in this hostile takeover — is reminiscent of many nationalization schemas globally— but this one is unique as it is not in public interest. Not even pretense.
The issue becomes the one of international precedent. Many countries already have a requirement of foreign platforms to keep their user data in the country. Thus requirement never forced the companies to turn the data base to their national provider. Nor did it entail turning over the source code. Essentially, no parts of a foreign company were forced to sell, nor forced to turn over part of business to locals.
When Google exited China “in protest” it was over refusal to keep database of customers in China — not turned over to Chinese database company. In reality Google exited because it failed to produce Chinese language search engine to compete with locals. And Google did not wish to partner with a Chinese company — because Chinese were not allowed to see Google code or backdoors. So it left,
This deal will be scrutinized as a precedent for other countries to emulate, in Europe — specially France and Germany — Microsoft has been scrutinized by various committees. Its software is throughout all governments and the vulnerability is there. They may apply the new rules for keeping source code under control of a domestic company, maintaining security. This may restructure ownership. Most Europeans bristle at Facebook and Amazon. Chinese may apply the “Trump” rule to all US companies.
It will be interesting, i cannot see ByteDance giving up majority ownership and continue doing work all the work just so American companies can take profit.
I think the ban is for domestic consumption before the election and protecting big techs outcompeted by TikTok. 2016 and Russophobia and 2020 Sinophobia come in tandem.
However, no doubt Beijing have considered tampering with the TikTok’s user data, since it already did so with Chinese speaking WeChat users, such as taking off posts regarding Hong Kong even if they were not anti-Beijing. Still, I do not think it is stupid enough to give Washington PR ammunitions to solidify the claim of “national security” concern.
Even if the “national security” reasoning is bogus, it is rather difficult to argue for WeiXing and TikTok. Beijing banned Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Google, along with a swath of others, even antiwar.org and Ron Paul Institute! Understandably the major platforms have been part of the PR war on Washington’s rival with biased reporting. Still, reacting to malicious free speech with a ban dissuades sympathy for WeChat and TikTok.